Combination bath cloth and massager



April 15, 1958 D. MOUNTANOS cousmmon BATH CLOTH AND MASSAGER 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Sept. 21, 1956 'April 15, 1958 D. MOUNTANOS COMBINATION BATH CLOTH AND MASSAGER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1956 United rates atent 2,830,313 CONDINATION BATH CLOTH AND MASSAGER Demetrios Mountanos, New York, N. Y. Application September 21, 1956, Serial No. 611,247

7 Claims; c 1s' 122 This invention relates to a bath cloth, and more particularly, concerns a bath' cloth having soap containing means. and useful as a body massager.

An object of this invention is to provide a bath cloth of the type which is grasped at the opposite ends and reciprocated while in contact with surface portions of the users body, and including improved soap or other detergent containing means having closure means providing for easy insertion. or withdrawal of the soap or other detergent.

A: further object of this invention is to provide in a bathcloth of the character described, closure means of simple construction which does not interfere with the use of the cloth, and in fact, provides auxiliary massage means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bath cloth ofthe character described and having a soap pocket, the. cloth being formed of towelling, terry cloth or the like; which permits the ready exudation of soap lather and has a. massaging effect in relation to the skin of the user, together with closure means for the soap pocket which is alsoformed' of towelling or the like, the closure means being so disposed as to provide auxiliary massaging means for invigorating the skin of the user.

Gther objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of a bath cloth embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3'3 of Fig. 1';

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; I

- Fig. 5 is a pla'n' view of a modified form of the inventifiri;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken line 6--6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1-4, 10 designates a bath cloth embodying the invention. The same is in elongated form with the side edges thereof tapering towards the ends. The cloth 1!) is made of two plies 11, 12 of absorbent, porous material which may be knitted, woven or the like, and preferably is of terry cloth or towelling.

The plies 11, 12 are arranged in superposed relation and secured together by marginal stitching 13. Intermediate the ends and at the portion of maximum width, a pocket 14 for a soap bar or other suitable detergent, is formed between the plies by transverse stitch lines 15, 16. A transverse entry slit 17 in ply 11 communicates with pocket 14 to permit the soap bar or detergent to be inserted into, or removed from pocket 14. Entry slit 17 may extend substantially to the side edges of ply 11. A longitudinally extending, elongated opening 18 is on the Patented Apr. 15,- 1958 formed at one end of bath cloth 10 to permit the cloth to be hung up on a suitable hook or other support, not shown, when not in use.

Means is provided for maintaining slit 17 in a closed position, when bath cloth 10 is in use, thereby preventing the contents of pocket 14 from escaping inadvertently therefrom. To this end, a pair of longitudinally extending straps 19, 20 of material similar to that of plies 11 12, are secured to the outer face of ply 11, being stitched thereto at the opposite ends of said straps, as at 21.

Straps 19, 211 are in spaced, parallel relation, extending transversely of slit 17. Furthermore, ply 11 is formed with a pair of short slits 22, 23 respectively disposed on opposite sides of slit 17 and adjacent thereto. An intermediate portion of strap 19 passes into slit 17 and out of slit 22, while an intermediate portion of strap 20 passes into slit 23 and out of slit 17. As shown in Fig. 1, the straps 19, 20 are in relatively offset relation, with the inner ends of said straps adjacent slit 17 and the outer ends remote therefrom.

It will be apparent, that soap or the like, may readily be inserted into pocket 14 by way of entry slit 17, the straps 19, 20 being flexible so as to allow displacement thereof to facilitate the insertion of the soap into said pocket. However, when in use, cloth 10 is held at'the opposite ends thereof in a relatively taut condition for application to the back of the user.

Since cloth 1!) is maintained in a relatively taut condi tion while being reciprocated across the back of the user, the straps 19, 20 are also maintained in a relatively taut condition, thereby effectively keeping the slit 17 in a closed condition to prevent the inadvertent escape of soap from pocket 14. The spacing of straps 19 and 20 is such as to restrict the effective length of slit 17 insofar as possible escape of a soap bar from pocket 14' is concerned.

It will be apparent, that cloth 10 may be used with either of the plies 11, 12 in contact with the users back. When ply 11 is in contact with the users back, straps 19, 26 provide additional massage means, particularly since the fabric from which ply 11 and straps 19, 20 is formed, is of a rough nature.

As shown in Figs. 5-7, a modified form of bath cloth 10a, comprises plies 24, 25 of toweling or terry cloth in face to face relation and secured together by marginal stitching 26. The cloth 10a is also in elongated form, with" tapered side edges and loops 27 at the ends thereof for grasping the same while in use or for hanging the same from a suitable support when not in use.

Plies 24, 25 are cross stitched as at 28, 29 to form a soap pocket 30 between the plies on a central portion thereof. Fly 24 comprises a pair of fabric sections 31, 32 in end to end relation with their inner end edges 33, 34 respectively, in overlapping relation at a midportion of the cloth. It will be apparent that overlapped edges 33, 34 of said ply sections provides a transversely extending opening communicating with pocket 31) for inserting into and removing therefrom, a cake of soap, not shown, or the like.

Means is provided for maintaining the opening between overlapped edges 33, 34 in a closed condition when cloth 10a is in use. To this end, a single strap 35 of toweling or terry cloth is disposed over ply sections 31, 32 and secured at the opposite ends thereof by stitching as at 36. Strap 35 has one end thereof closer to edge 33 than the other end thereof. Furthermore, strap 35 is located intermediate the ends of edge 33 and passes through a short slit 37 formed in fabric section 31 parallel to and adjacent edge 33, the strap coming out between the overlapped end portions of sections 31, 32, as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be apparent, that a soap bar, not shown, may readily be inserted into pocket 30 by way of the opening formed by overlapping end portions of sections 31, 32; the strap 35 being displaced to provide a proper length of opening. However, when cloth 10a is held in taut condition'by grasping loops 27 and stretching the cloth longitudinally, as when the same is in'use, strap 35 also becomes taut and effectively closes the opening between overlapped end portions of plies 31, 32, to prevent inadvertent escape of the soap bar from pocket 30. On relaxing the cloth 10a, strap 35 may be displaced to increase the effective size of the opening to pocket 30, to allow the soap bar to be removed therefrom.

Cloth 10a, as in the case of cloth 10, provides massage as well as cleansing means, and the flexible strap 35 provides supplemental massaging means when the cloth 10a is used with ply 24 in contact with the users back and is reciprocated across the back.

The pocket closure means of the instant invention avoids the use of buttons, zippers and other forms of protuberant closure which maybe a source of irritation when the cloth is in use. Furthermore, the novel closure means facilitates access to the soap pocket in the cloths for either insertion or removal of soap.

As various changes might be made in the embodiments of the invention herein set forth Without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter shown or described shall be deemed illustrative and not by way of limitation except as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. A bath cloth comprising an elongated strip of absorbent material including two plies in superposed relation and secured together, said strip having a soap receiving pocket between the plies and located intermediate the ends thereof, an entry slit formed in one of said plies and communicating with said pocket, and closure means for said pocket comprising flexible strap means secured at the opposite ends only thereof to the outer surface of said one ply, said strap means extending transversely of the entry slit in said one ply.

2. A bath cloth as in claim 1, wherein said one ply is formed with a strap slit parallel and adjacent to said entry slit, said strap means being narrower than said entry slit and an intermediate portion of said strap means passing through said slits.

3. A bath cloth as in claim 1, wherein said one ply so I mediate portion passing through said entry slit and one of said strap slits.

4. A bath cloth comprising an elongated strip of absorbent fabric including two plies in superposed relation and secured together at themarginal edges thereof, said strip having a soap receiving pocket between the plies and located intermediate the ends thereof, said pocket being defined by spaced, transverse lines of stitching through said superposed plies, an opening in one of said plies communicating with said pocket for inserting soap in or removing the same from said pocket, closure means for said pocket comprising atleast one strap of absorbent fabric secured at the opposite ends thereof to the outer surface of said one ply, an intermedite portion of said strap extending transversely of the opening in said one ply.

5. A bath cloth as in claim 4 wherein said opening in the one ply comprises a transverse slit, a second slit being formed in said one ply to one side of said first mentioned slit, and intermediate portions of said strap passing through said slits. v

6. Abath cloth as in claim 4 wherein said one ply comprises a pair of sections in end to end relation, the inner ends of said sections being disposed in overlapping relation to form said opening, one of said sections being formed with a transverse slit adjacent the inner end thereof, said strap having an intermediate portion passing through said slit and the opening formed by the overlapping ends of said sections.

7. A bath cloth comprising an elongated strip of absorbent toweling including two plies in superimposed 1 municating with said pocket and extending transversely thereof, said one ply being further formed with a pair of short slits adjacent said elongated slit and parallel thereto, said pair of slits being respectively located on opposite sides of said elongated slit and in offset relation to each otl1er,'a pair of straps of absorbent toweling secured at the opposite ends thereof to the outer surface of said one ply, the intermediate portion of one strap passing through said elongated slit and one of said pair of slits, the inter- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hickman Apr. 6, 1948 Norman Jan. 17, 1956 

